Originally Posted by
mjhammer
Don't know why I'm the only one still posting, but here goes.
Just finished about 5 1/2 hours of honing this fine Saturday. I honed 4 razors today. All were finished in the exact same way, and all showed incredible edges that popped hair easily, passed the HHT very easily and for the first time ever I managed to do rolling X's on a smile that actually worked.
I honed a Cosmo silver steel 6/8, a Robeson Sure-Edge 4/8, an Ontario Cutlery 6/8 and a 7/8 Puma that is my pride and joy. I have hesitated to even touch the Puma for fear of ruining what edge it had left on it. I have that baby flat ready to go now.
I finally have a routine that works for any razor I have now. Once the bevel is set and good, after doing the circles and X's on the 4 and 8k until I am happy that it cuts arm hair and the HHT ( or TNT, whichever I decide is best for that razor) then 200 to 300 X's on the CNat with nothing but clear water and I get incredible results.
The shave from last 2 nights proved that this technique was sound as both of those shaves were amazing and as good as I have gotten ever from one of my own blades.
Each of the 4 I did today would scatter hair easily, and would split any type of hair I chose easily, mustache, head, arm even dog, heheheh.
I almost don't need to shave today as yesterdays was so good that I hardly have any stubble built up, but the suspense is killing me and I have so many to test shave now.
My back is really killing me after all this honing today, but it's worth it if I can get a good repeatable process down that works good with the equipment I have.
Here is my process:
Set a good bevel on the 1k, until it shaves arm hair easily.
Do lynn's circles and X's on the 4k until the edge looks ready to move on. It also passes a TNT, and the first of the HHT tests.
Do more circles and X's on the 8k until the 4k stratches are gone and only the 8k scratch pattern is present. It should pass the arm hair test, the HHT test also. It exhibits a suction on the 8k that just doesn't exist unless the edge is really ready.
Do Circles and X's up to 300 laps on the 12k until the 8k scratch pattern is gone and replaced by the 12k's much finer pattern.
5 passes on a diamond paddle
10 passes on the CrOx paddle
100 laps on a clean wool felt strop
300 laps on a clean leather strop
At this point no hair I can present to the edge can resist it's sharpness. I can take a head hair and easily cut it into 4 pieces by passing it onto the blades.
I guess I'm done posting now, as this thread has allowed me to move on in my honing experience to the next level. Between JaNorton and the CNat-a-thon I have learned much.
I guess I can't really go any further without spending money on a higher grit stone now. That will have to wait until I am employed again though, and really who cares since I am starting to get the best out of what I have already, finally.. :)
Happy Honing fellows!!
Mike